The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Light Moodxe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a mutation induction breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objective of the program is to create new Chrysanthemum cultivars having inflorescences with desirable colors and good form and substance.
The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary induced mutation that originated by exposing unrooted cuttings of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Mood, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,935, to X-ray radiation at a dose of 2,000 rads. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of the irradiated selection in November, 1998 in Alva, Fla. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence color and good form and substance.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since February, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Light Mood have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Light Moodxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Light Moodxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright cut Chrysanthemum that is typically grown as a disbud.
2. Large quilled decorative-type inflorescences that are about 13.75 cm in diameter.
3. Attractive golden yellow-colored inflorescences.
4. Response time about 61 days.
5. Dark green foliage.
6. Strong and thick stems.
7. Excellent postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining good substance and color for about three to four weeks in an interior environment.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are most similar to plants of the cultivar Mood. However, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the cultivar Mood in ray floret color as ray florets of the cultivar Mood are golden bronze in color.